Tag Archives: creative

Rock star guitarist based in Los Angeles and advocate for disabled young people, BRANDON MENDENHALL, joins the growing list of celebrity ambassadors for Daytrippers Children’s Charity. Mendenhall fought hard and worked hard to become a musician in his earlier years despite physical challenges due to having cerebral palsy and constant bullying. Brandon’s determination and dedication are awe-inspiring. His dream was to form his own band, The Mendenhall Experiment. He not only managed to start the band, but they went on to win several awards and perform professionally. TMX also recently signed a record deal in Southern California with Lucent Records. Not bad for a boy from Illinois who was once told he could not make it as a musician.

Brandon Mendenhall, founding member of The Mendenhall Experiment.

Here is Brandon’s story:

My name is Brandon Mendenhall and I am the founding member of my band The Mendenhall Experiment. I was born in 1983 , 2 months premature with complications during my birth.A life with Cerebral Palsy is all I’ve ever known.

I knew from an early age it would be difficult for me to reach my dreams as a musician. I couldn’t just join any band.Not just anyone would have the patience and understanding to work with my unique playing style based on my physical parametersdue to my disability.

On August 16, 2014I reached a personal and professional milestone, signing a record deal 6 years to the day of The Mendenhall Experiment’s first show in my hometown of Kankakee, IL at a dive bar called Paul’s Place.If anyonehad told me that day 6 years from right now I would be signing a record deal in Southern California, I would’ve told you, you’re crazy. In order to understand the profound impact of that moment in my life I must go back to the beginning.

Young Brandon Mendenhall

I was born in a very conservative part of North America and raised by my Grandparents. My Cerebral Palsy left the entire left side of my body damaged. I didn’t walk until I was four years old. Throughout my lifeI endured ten corrective surgeries on my leg and ankle. My left hand had nearly zero mobility and strength.

I started out my school life in a Special Education Cooperative and then went onto a more mainstream elementary and high school. School, for me, was a constant struggle as I was bullied, teased and harassed because of my disability. As a teenager I had surgery on my left eye.

Fortunately, I fell in love with music at a young age, listening to bands like Korn, Pantera and Nine Inch Nails that allowed me to escape the uninviting world.Inspired by these musical heroes I was determined to get a guitar in my hands. When I was growing up there were tons of people who doubted me including my own Grandfather. When I was 19 my Grandmother secretly loaned me $1000 to buy my first guitar. Of which I had to pay her back over the course an entire year making french fries and washing dishes at a local McDonalds. I had to hide the guitar from my Grandfather, but after just 2 months of playing, he found out. One day I was playing in my bedroom. I had no clue what I was doing just figuring things out. My Grandfather went to go to the bathroom which was adjacent to my bedroom. He stood in my doorway looking atme. After a moment he said, “ No grandson of mine will ever be a musician.” That comment was very hurtful and damaging but it also lit a fire in my soul. Despite my Grandfather’s words I persisted in my guitar playing. Not only did I learn how to play guitar but in doing so I rehabilitated my left hand bringingmobility and strength to it for the first time in my life.

I moved to Florida to attend Full Sail University. Going to Full Sail and subsequently moving to LA was more of my own personal choice to escape family life and all of the small town antics of people saying I’ll never make it. I wasn’t going to gain any recognition there. I wanted to be surrounded by people who inspired me to aim higher andmusically that pushed me to raise the bar. In my mind going to Full Sail solidified the thought in my head that said you either need to move to New York , Los Angeles or Nashville and for me it was always Los Angeles.

Full Sail, where I received my Associate Of Science Degree in The Recording Arts Program and my Pro Tools Music Operator Certification , was a great opportunity for me. I learned the ropes of music production and the proper techniquesand the studio etiquette it takes to make an “on the level” professional record.My Full Sail education provided the foundation for which I stand upon today. I remember sitting in my apartment with a couple of good friends on down time between classes asking them their thoughts on me starting my own me band called The Mendenhall Experiment. At that time it seemed like a crazy dream, but as I thought about it more and more I knew deep down that it could become something more. After I graduated Full Sail I went home to IL. for a few months to regroup and then went to visit a friend in Los Angeles. I got there and never went home.

In my early days in L.A I secured an internship at Westlake Recording Studios, while also working at Target to pay the bills. After a while I realized that my foot wasn’t going to hold up. While at the same time struggling to keep my internship because I couldn’t get a driver’s license. Since I had to walk everywhere and take public transportation, it took a toll on my body. I came to a point where I needed more surgeries. This was when I had my first set of foot and ankle surgeries at UCLA. After that I fell into a deep depression. I felt like the limitations on my body had won. I fell in with the wrong crowd and was headed down a darkpath.

In early 2006, still on my private downward spiral, I had a chance encounter with my guitar hero, James “Munky” Shaffer of Korn. It was during that encounter that Shaffer and I had a moment to talk and connect over our mutual love for guitar. Our conversation inspired me to climb out of my hole and give music and my life another chance.

Over the next year and a half I would rebuild my life from the ground up. Relocatingto the valley with a better job, a better place to live and healthier friends. It was a new beginning. However, that new beginning soon became clouded with elements of the past. It was in the spring of 2007 when I realized that yet again, I would have to go undergo another series of foot and ankle surgeries at UCLA. In July of 2007 recovering from surgery, I began writing for The Mendenhall Experiment. In August of 2008 with five songs completed it was time to test The Mendenhall Experiment in a live environment. During a months long vacation visiting my family I decided to reunite with my high school jam buddies and book a couple of shows for fun playing the material that I wrote for The Mendenhall Experiment. After two successful shows in the span two weeks with 100 plus crowd each night The Mendenhall Experiment had proven to be something of value. So at the end of my vacation it was time to return to southern California and find permanent members for my band.

From 2008 to 2014 the line-up for my band was a revolving door of musicians.

Every band goes through the process of finding the right combination of musicians who believe in what the band stands for.During this period I had the fortune of working with some very talented musicians. With these former line – ups The Mendenhall Experiment opened for bands like Korn, Megadeth, POD, Alien Ant Farm and many more. Playing shows like Monster Energy’s Aftershock Festival and playing famous venues such as the Whiskey A Go – Go. , Roxy, The Viper Room and The Glass House.However I didn’t find the combination of musicians right until beginning of 2014…

At the start of 2014 with my dream team of band mates finally in place a filmmaker approached me about filming a documentary about the story of my life and journey through the music industry living with Cerebral Palsy.The man who wanted to tell my storyis my long time friend and lead videographer and photographer for Korn.Sebastien Paquet The band that had first sparked my passion for music at the age of 11 was now, in a way, connected to me on a professional level.

From that point on things have been moving rapidly. My band went from playing our first gig as a group at a dive bar in Santa Ana in March of 2014 to being signed artists with worldwide distribution an EP on it’s way and the documentary release not far behind. All of this happenedin less than a year.In that year we have played venues such as The Citizen’s Bank Arena , The Viper Room, The NAMM showand Whiskey A Go – Go several times.

My band and Iwere honored to win the August Artist Of The Month for Guitar Center on July 11th 2014. An honor that was especially important to me because I grew up a loyal Guitar Center customer. Just before that win my band and I also got to play the Anaheim House of Blues,where we won 2nd place for the Battle of the Bands for Warped Tour.We were discovered by an A&R representative for Lucent Records where we signed a deal on August 16, 2014.

The moment I realized the coincidence with the dates was the moment I realized I was on my way to making it… August 16th 2008 (first TMX show ever) August 16th 2014 (TMX signs with Lucent Records in Southren Ca.)

The Mendenhall Experiment

While some people are enticed by money and fame that’s not me; I really do everything that I do for the kids. For people growing up like I did with disabilities or challenges that make dreams like mine seem impossible. The other stuff is just an added bonus.

Over the past year I have met so many wonderful people whose lives have been touched by my message and my music. That’s a pretty surreal feeling after being doubted and disregarded my whole life. I don’t really care about the people who doubted me back then.I care about the kidsI might inspire in the present and years to come.

I amlooking forward to helping create a future that will bring happiness, success and ability to those formally considered disabled.

We got lucky! Daytrippers Celebrity Ambassador KURT YAEGER recently devoted an afternoon to answer a few questions for We Are Daytrippers in the midst of his very busy schedule. Thanks so much Kurt. We love what you said in this video as it was inspirational, encouraging and gives us insight into what makes you, you! Don’t miss these five minutes with Kurt Yaeger:

One thing you notice when you meet film writer, editor and producer BRIAN GING is that you are likely to be looking UP. At 200 centimetres tall and beaming a bright smile, you immediately feel there is something truly special about this guy. We Are Daytrippers was lucky to catch the busy filmmaker for a few minutes. Ging hails from Los Angeles, California together with his talented wife (they met many years ago on a movie set) and their cat Simba. Brian encourages us to follow our dreams one step at a time. Here are his words of advice:

I write, direct, and edit movies in California and other locations in the USA. I also make my living editing tv shows and commercials. This had been my dream job since I was a kid in high school, but its been a long journey to get here. I grew up a regular middle-class kid living in Phoenix, Arizona. This felt like a million miles from Hollywood (where I now live). I also had no idea what the journey would look like for me to make it here. I didn’t have any movie studio connections, knew nobody named Spielberg, and often barely made enough money to pay my rent and car payments while getting work where I could… I’m not by any means making the big budget films like you see at your local cinemaplex, but I am making lower budget films and projects that I care about. And I’m still for the most part just paying my rent and car payments. But without question, I’m doing what I love.

Brian Ging perfecting his craft.

I’m often asked how I got here. How did I end up with a life where I am paid to be creative for a living? Most people are looking for the magic bullet answer, the secret backdoor shortcut to reach their goal. I know in the beginning I certainly was, and I was pretty irritated that I couldn’t find it. I read books about film directors who’s first movie was discovered and they were swept into the Hollywood machine as “golden children” and granted fame and riches. I thought that sounded pretty good and I’d try that. After making my first film, that didn’t happen… The reality is that it doesn’t matter whether you are trying to build a career in a highly competitive industry like Hollywood, or working through a physical disability to strengthen your muscles with your physical therapist: There are no shortcuts. You just put one foot in front of the other (you screw up most of the time) but you grow and get better! I have always tried to simply look for the next bar on the ladder, the next step in the staircase. Whether it was working hard for free, or helping people who almost always organically helped me – I tried to make every film or commercial or project I worked on better than the last, growing and increasing my skill set.

The hardest thing for me about having such big dreams was constantly measuring how far I was away from my dream. Look how many stairs I still have to go! So many I can’t even count them! Which can be quite disheartening. To always be talking about “someday I’ll be great”, or “someday I’ll have the life I want” makes it incredibly hard to be happy in this moment… now. And that’s the secret really. To be happy in this moment, with where we are; with the step on the ladder we are currently standing on. Its like they say, gratitude will set you free.

So no matter what your dream, or your goal, realize that the only way you will reach it is to just take the next step in front of you. That’s all you are responsible for right now. I’ve learned to appreciate where I am, and where I was at in the journey towards my dreams.

One day I looked up and realized that… wow I’m doing something that would have made that teenage Brian pretty proud. It snuck up on me really. A fifteen year overnight success and I still have a long way to go; one step at a time. Often the scariest steps I’ve taken have led to the most growth.

Brian Ging as a kid channelling Groucho Marx

Good luck with whatever your passion is, or your dream. And know that the struggles and challenges you face … we all face them. The best thing you can do is be grateful for where you are at right now, and just take things one step at a time.

Media Entertainer and Football Freestyler, COLIN NELL recently performed at the Daytrippers Pan-Disability Football Tournament where he wowed the kids and adults alike. He is undoubtedly an incredible talent; but what sets him apart from other expert freestylers is his desire to also help others and his innate ability to make people and children feel at ease. The Londoner began his career in 2000 after being spotted by Nike Executives and the rest is history. A quick google search brings you to his countless advertisements, videos, performances and promotions. He is a resounding success and headed for more. Do check out a few performances from Mr. Nell HERE and prepare to be impressed.

We Are Daytrippers are very happy to have his contribution in the 5 Minutes With section!

The Daytrippers Team: Did you have a role model or mentor as a child?

Colin Nell: Growing up I used to really look up to sporting heroes. My first hero mentor was my father as he always played sports and encouraged me to do my best. I always wanted to show him how good I was, however, the older I got I found many others to look up to. Firstly, Zinadine Zidane who I met in 2013, there were others such as Prince Naseem Hamed (boxer), Linford Christie (athlete), and also Muhammad Ali. However, even up to date I draw inspiration from so many influential people who I like to model myself on.

The Daytrippers Team: What is your creative talent?

Colin Nell: I would like to think I have many talents however most obvious is my freestyle football skills. The best way to cultivate it is to work hard and perfect this craft in as many ways as possible. This can be done through eating well and training to stay in shape, mentally staying focused and having a goal I would like to achieve with it – and finally having a lifestyle balance that allows this be worked into my daily routine and life. One must always have a goal or target to aim for or his work is never fully reached or obtained!

The Daytrippers Team: What motivates or inspires you to be creative?

Colin Nell: I have to say that I draw inspiration from so many people such as speakers, leaders, sportsmen and also my family. I have a desire to achieve so many things and often look towards those who have done something that has never been done before them such as putting the man on the moon, the tall sky-scrapers we see everyday and also the advances mankind has made. Seeing my family and friends enjoy my success and the fruits it brings spurs me on the achieve higher everyday.

The Daytrippers Team: Have you had experience with disabled or terminally-ill people?

Colin Nell: Yes I have worked many times with the disabled; mainly in a sporting environment in London, Jersey and all over the UK. I have also run freestyle football sessions for terminally-ill children at UCLH hospital in London which was very rewarding for me and the patients.

Colin Nell working with Daytrippers kids in 2014

The Daytrippers Team: Do you have any advice for children who are currently facing difficulties?

Colin Nell: I would say that we should all keep the faith always. We constantly get tested and face many difficulties however we must also think of those who are less fortunate then us. Showing patience and gratitude for what we have also helps massively. Many times in life we find it so hard to make sense of the world we live in however after every hardship always comes ease. Life is far too short and we must make the most of every second we have as we have one life and must live it well!

The Daytrippers Team: Would you share a challenge in your life?

Colin Nell: Back in 2004 I went to play football in Barcelona on trial for Columbus Crew FC an American MLS team. Whilst I was there, an unfortunate fall out with the management where some disagreed that I should have been invited to play. Whilst I was there I also became sick from Hepatitis A through seafood which wasn’t cleaned properly. I ended up leaving early to come home due to sickness which took 2 weeks in hospital as well as no football team to play for. This also effected me with freestyle football as Vodafone UK wanted me to shoot a commercial for them which I also lost out on because I was ill. I was very down and of course ill at the time however I quickly learnt in life that I had to be patient and also mentally stronger as I believe everything happens for a reason. My faith as a Muslim and support from my family and friends helped me so much and I will never forget this. I had to come back stronger and later on I am pleased to say that I ended up bettering myself and had bigger and better opportunities!

The Daytrippers Team: Who is currently your role model?

Colin Nell: My current role model is the Prophet Muhammad. As a Muslim I use his example in many ways to help improve my lifestyle – however ones that are still living; Sir Jackie Stewart (motor racing) who has become a very good friend, Muhammad Ali (boxer) who has had an amazing career and been through so many hardships. That would be great to meet him one day.

JAYANT MISTRY, winner of the Wheelchair Men’s Doubles Championship at Wimbledon in 2005 who spent 20 years as an international tennis professional, retired in 2007 winning a total of 68 international career titles. He passes the time now by preparing to help run the European Karate Championship held in November 2014 and juggling the Leicester Cobras wheelchair basketball season, coaching wheelchair tennis and basketball while also working part time in sports development for the English Federation of Disability Sport. Did you follow that? Ok, so maybe he is not retired. We certainly are not sure someone can be more active. Born with spina bifida, Mistry played sport all his life (and we do not expect him to stop any time soon). We Are Daytrippers is honoured to feature the sportsman Mr. Mistry who ran the London 2012 Olympic tennis event and competed in the 4 Paralympic Games.

The Daytrippers Team: Did you have a role model as a child and now as an adult?

Jayant Mistry: My father was (and still is) my biggest role model. He came to work from India in the 50’s leaving his family behind in order to make a better life for us in the UK. He always put his family first and has kept us all close throughout his life.

At school my teacher (Mr Moore) was also a great role model. He would join in with us at sport and actively encourage us to push ourselves out of our comfort zone by doing new and challenging things.

Jayant Mistry

The Daytrippers Team: Do you have a creative talent apart from sport?

Jayant Mistry: Not really! But being sporty has taught me about goal setting, making commitments and sticking to them, being open and honest, working hard, continuously learning and developing both on and off the field of play.

The Daytrippers Team: Would you share an experience where you had to overcome a challenge?

Jayant Mistry: Having my foot amputated at the age of 12. I was born with Spina Bifida and have one leg longer than the other. I was developing complications with walking with leg braces but this was twisting both legs to the extent that that Dr’s recommended removing my healthy right foot to fit a prosthetic one, they convinced us that it would be better for me in the long term. It meant having 3 months off school and it took a while to adjust to but it has been worth it – both legs are much straighter now.

The Daytrippers Team: What is a typical day-in-the-life of Jayant like?

Jayant Mistry: Rather than a day I’ll look at a week instead – I currently work part time (3 days a week) which allows me time to get involved with voluntary roles including managing / coaching / playing for my local wheelchair basketball team (Leicester Cobras), helping the development officer for Karate in organising the European Karate championships (as well as teaching him how to play tennis!) and developing a disability sports project in India. However I love spending time with family and friends.

Mistry is a mentor and tutor to children.

The Daytrippers Team: What would you say makes you happiest?

Jayant Mistry: Being with people I care about.

The Daytrippers Team: You have accomplished so much and become an inspiration for many, what sports accomplishment are you most proud of?

Jayant Mistry: In wheelchair tennis winning the inaugural Wimbledon doubles title in 2005 is the moment I look back on with most fondness. I was very fortunate to have been part of the Great Britain squad for 20 years including 4 Paralympic Games.

Mistry celebrates his wheelchair doubles championship at Wimbledon. Photo courtesy of the BBC

The Daytrippers Team: What is your next goal?

Jayant Mistry: I’m still waiting for that to materialise but in the meantime, to be the best that I can be in whatever I do.

The Daytrippers Team: What advice would you give a child who is facing difficulties?

Jayant Mistry: A friend of mine once sent me a birthday card with a dog in a rubber ring on the front of it and the words – ‘he knows not where he’s going, for it’s the ocean that decides. It’s not the destination, it’s the glory of the ride’.

Whenever I’ve faced difficult times or decisions I’ve always asked myself ‘So, what’s stopping you?’ We can always find reasons (or should that be excuses?) not to do things but mainly it’s our own fear of the unknown that stops us from believing that we can do more.

Psst! We Are Daytrippers recently found out about an incredible group of kids on a continuous adventure … The Genies Gang who meet at The Treehouse at Number Nine. This brand new app for ipad will soon become available in other mobile formats, but for the lucky few who have the opportunity to check it out now; you will not be disappointed.

Meet The Genies Gang

From a Daytrippers Children’s Charity perspective; the stories about The Genies Gang seem to mirror many of our supporters, kids, families and carers lives that we want to be one of the first charities to promote this app with special music dynamics and lots of FUN included!

Get to know Angel, Ted, Macro, Jow, Oscar, Cee-Cee and more who all have special genes that make them the fantastic characters they are. This is just the beginning of The Treehouse at Number Nine so do stay updated, like their Facebook page, follow the gang on Twitter @TreehouseGenies but most importantly download the app first:

Comedian, writer, performer and kindness crusader BERNADETTE RUSSELL is devoted to spreading happiness. She recently wrote an activity book for kids based on ideas of kindness called Do Nice, Be Kind, Spread Happy. This book resonates with Daytrippers ethos of spreading happiness to disabled and terminally-ill children.Brook from The Daytrippers Team found out about the book while browsing Waterstones and immediately got in touch with Russell to see if she might contribute to We Are Daytrippers. Guess what? She said yes (yahoo!) and made us very happy because we think of her as a true expert in how to be a most excellent person.

Here is Bernadette Russell’s word of advice:

The news is really depressing and horrible. Sometimes for ghoulish fun I string together all the headlines into one long sentence like this: “scientistwarnglobalwarmingresultsinkillerbeesandimmigrantsandbenefitscheatsstealingpensionsandcausingcancer. “

It’s unbearable sometimes, to face it all, and to be left wondering “What Can I do about all that?” and those stories, on a loop, delivered 24/7 with loads of splashy headlines full of terrifying exclamation marks and dramatic bold fonts, make us think how bad the world is, how awful we are, us human beings.

I like to remind myself, of course, there is loads of bad stuff in the world, but it is always outweighed by the good. Maybe you don’t believe me. Maybe you sigh and say something like, “that’s a nice thought, but she’s living in cloud cuckoo land” (I love this expression actually, I do wonder what it would look like, and if cuckoos rule it or not? Is it actually IN THE CLOUDS? That would be great. Unlikely, but great).

I actually live in Deptford, South East London, my formerly scruffy, recently gentrified little patch of home. It’s still pretty poor, although now you can buy a soya flat white and buy organic quinoa, plus there’s a picture of Jamie Oliver visiting Deptford, on one of those luxury flat hoardings, and I like him, so I don’t mind seeing him.

So, a while ago, August 18th 2011, post-riots and with a head spinning with images of buildings on fire and the bigoted foamy rantings of various people in the media, I paid for a boy’s stamp in the local post office. Since then, I have promised to be kind to a stranger every day for a year. I initially committed to a year, but the experience was so life changing that I kept it up, and you can read the whole story here should you wish www.366daysofkindness.com

Pretty much for the last three hundred years we have accepted as fact the belief of various respected and powerful thinkers (Sigmund Freud etc.) that humankind is innately selfish. Often when we hear stories about someone mugging some one else in the park, we also hear “oh, that’s human nature” as if this is the natural order of things and to be expected, suggesting perhaps that kindness is the unusual thing.

I’d like to suggest that it’s not. We’ve somehow been persuaded to believe that other people are bad, to be feared, avoided, be suspicious of. But I offer you this challenge: just notice tomorrow how often people are kind to you (opening doors, helping with a heavy case, saying thanks, smiling, letting you go first, all those every day courtesies that keep society functioning and ensure that we muddle along together). Ok, so once or twice during your day someone might be rude or grumpy but I bet that’s outweighed by the good things. Every day. You might get home and say: “this man swore at me to get out of the way of the bus” On a day filled with many many small acts of kindness we report on and remember the bad ones. I try to do the reverse. I try to remember all the good things that happened in the day. I try to be kind at every opportunity. I try to forgive people for their grumpiness or rudeness (I don’t have the slightest idea what sort of day/week/life they’ve had after all). The person who is rude to me may have just found out they didn’t get a job they were after. They might have had an argument with their mum. They might be worried about money. Or just stubbed their toe.

Doing this has made me happier and less fearful. I have got to know my neighbours. I’m no saint of course. Being kind every day, remembering the good things, and being forgiving are still a challenge now, even after all this time. Sometimes I am that grumpy person on the bus. But I forgive myself that too, and shrug it off. I try to also be kind to myself in this way.

Of course I am by no means the only person who thinks this: lots of people are thinking about kindness, empathy and happiness, and how we can evolve as a species. (That whole “eye for an eye” thing not having worked out so well for us). There are loads of organisations promoting kindness and happiness, promoting ideas of hope instead of fear, having faith in human beings. There are conversations happening globally in cafes and round kitchen tables, on Facebook and twitter about these ideas: that the relentless pursuit of money and power, the acquisition of possessions, the narrow view of success that these pursuits imposes upon us has not made the world a better place and has definitely not made us happier. That there is another way.

A while ago I was at the rally to save the NHS in Trafalgar, a subject close to my heart. To me the NHS embodies compassion, empathy and a collective optimism that must be defended. Billy Bragg came on stage to sing to us all as the sun went down. He spoke about “our enemy being cynicism” and he’s right. Don’ t be cynical, and you will already be helping to make the world better. If you have to moan then ask yourself what can I do to help? There may well be something. (not moaning is a start – I often tell myself this!)

Spanish journalist KIN MOLINA was ready for a career change. Brook from The Daytrippers Team spoke to Molina over a year ago and recalls him saying “My last interview was with Emma Stone, some American girl and I have to keep replaying the interview over and over to understand her accent!” Molina (also known as Joaquin Molina Reina) returned to a career in music (he also occasionally makes time to cook a superb authentic paella for his neighbours!). Authentic, wise and talented are three words to easily describe the hard-working singer and composer whose most recent album does not disappoint. We Are Daytrippers are thankful he took time out for a brief interview:

The Daytrippers Team: Who was your role model or mentor as a child?

Kin Molina: If I had to choose a role model, it would be my mother without any doubt. My father had problems with alcohol and my family (mum, brother and I) dealt with that situation the best way we could. I’m Spanish and during the seventies, when I was a child, it was not very easy for women in my country. My mother was a nurse and she worked very hard for my brother and I to have a decent life. I remember her as a very modern and beautiful woman (she still is!), always happy and in a good mood. She always made the most out of the difficult situation we were living in.

The Daytrippers Team: Who is currently your role model?

Kin Molina: As a journalist I have interviewed many famous people: Francis Ford Coppola, Helen Mirren, Dolce and Gabbana, Tamara Rojo … to name a few. but there was one person that made a very big impression on me; the Kenyan environmental and political activist Wangari Maathai. She won the Nobel Prize in 2004. A brave woman who dedicated her life to promote the recovery of the forests in Kenya and other countries. She died in 2011. I think she is a role model to follow for the future generations.

In the early 80’s, I worked for a literary magazine in my home city, Málaga. I was also a part time poet and published a few poems. At the same time, I was working in a publishing house called Dador that was dedicated to recovering hidden gems of Spanish and Latin American literature, the Cuban writer Reinaldo Arenas was among them. We met him in Madrid at the end of the 80’s and I remember him as a person full of life and joy in spite of the hardships he had endured. At that time we met, he was exiled from Miami and unfortunately later died of AIDS. There is a very interesting film about his life called Before Night Falls by Julian Schnabel with Javier Bardem in the role of Reinaldo Arenas.

The Daytrippers Team: What is your creative talent and how do you cultivate it?

Kin Molina: I wrote my first song when I was around 17. It was a very gloomy and gothic song about a plague in a city. During the eighties I was a member of a techno-pop band called Requiem. We played together for five years and after the band split I went solo for a couple of years in a project more similar to electronic cabaret. After that period of my life I moved to Madrid and went into journalism, writing for national magazines. Recently, I returned to music after moving to London and I’m preparing to release an album.

The Daytrippers Team: Have you had any experience with disabled people?

Kin Molina: Yes, I have indeed. My brother contracted polio when he was one year old. It affected his left leg. I am three years younger than him so as far as I can remember my brother has always been dealing with this issue. Until adolescence it was not a big problem. We played together, we went to the beach with my mother, and we did the usual things that boys do. But when he was 13 or 14, everything changed. My brother stopped coming with us to the beach and became more reclusive for a few years. I suppose this was because he was self-conscious, but he did not and does not talk much about that.

The Daytrippers Team: Who and what motivates and inspires you to be creative?

Kin Molina: Films, Art, Life. I love Nina Simone, Marianne Faithfull, Nico, Kate Bush, Diamanda Galás, The Associates, David Bowie, Scott Walker, Brian Eno, Nick Cave, Kurt Weill … the list can go on. If I have to choose one person, without a doubt Marc Almond would be the main source of inspiration in my music.

Not only does LEON LOGOTHETIS believe in being a kind person; he believes in the kindness of others. According to Leon you can find kind people everywhere – all over the world in fact (and he would know). Mr. Logothetis has been to every continent, visited 50 countries and hosted the TV series ‘Amazing Adventures of a Nobody.’ He documented his travels getting by on £5.00 per day and the decency of others in the form of his book The Kindness Diaries (available for purchase December 2014).

We Are Daytrippers think that any person who takes life by the horns and goes for it like Leon does deserves high marks in our book! On his website it states: “Changing lives one adventure at a time.” Daytrippers can certainly relate to that challenge. We are thankful to Leon for his time in this brief interview.

The Daytrippers Team: Who is currently your role model or mentor?

Leon Logothetis: I would say that the people I meet on my adventures around the world are my mentors & my role models. They teach me how to be a better person and how to see that there are two sides to every story. They also keep me humble and keep me on my toes.

Ultimately, i guess what i am saying is that ‘people’ from all walks of life have taught me that we really are all the same. We have good traits. we have bad traits. But at base we all want the same things: Love. Acceptance. Hope.

The Daytrippers Team: Did you have a role model or mentor as a child?

Leon Logothetis: I had a mentor when I was a teenager, Dr Susan Mann. She taught me to believe in myself. She taught the power of kindness and the necessity of following your dreams.

Leon goes bonkers!

The Daytrippers Team: What is your creative talent?

Leon Logothetis: I think my creative talent is in my writing and in my ability to connect with people. I cultivated both of these things by taking risks!

The Daytrippers Team: Would you share a challenge in your life?

Leon Logothetis: One of the greatest challenges I had in my life was living someone else’s definition of my life. My failure to live my own dreams led me towards depression and disappointment. when I left my job as a broker I found the courage to be the person I always wanted to be. In finding that courage, I have been inspired by many people along the way; people who have made me into the person I am today. Without all the connections I made, I wouldn’t be living my truth.

The Daytrippers Team: What motivates or inspires you to be creative?

Leon Logothetis: The act of creating is motivated by my desire to inspire others to be the best they can be. If something I do speaks to someone else in even a small way then my creativity has been worth it. And another thing that inspires my creativity is that its fun to be creative!

The Daytrippers Team: Do you have any advice for children who are facing difficulties?

Leon Logothetis: As a kid I was bullied and felt very shy and introverted. I was lucky because I met some people who believed in me and showed me that I was worth a lot more than I thought I was. If anyone tries to put you down, or take away your joy, just remember that you are worth a lot more than you think … and if that doesn’t work contact me and I will tell you!

RENE ROBERTS does not accept mediocracy. As a motivational speaker, primary school teacher, writer and life coach, she is driven to succeed and help others do the same. As any bronzed Californian might, Ms. Roberts also enjoys athletics and despite her diagnosis of cerebral palsy as a young girl, she set herself the challenge to become a triathlete. We Are Daytrippers is in awe of Roberts and salute her courage to speak out about life with cerebral palsy and in doing so, inspire future generations.

Here is Rene’s story:

When I lay in bed at night or curl up in my comfy chair to watch the Angel game or when I am in the middle of a great lesson with my first grade class, disability is no where to be found.

As a child I would walk through our neighborhood outdoor mall with my siblings or family and EVERY time I walked past a mirror or a reflection in a window I was shocked by what I saw. I never once recognized that skinny scrawny kid with the twisted legs who basically willed her body forward with each step. The metal braces were foreign. The eventual plastic braces were foreign too, but most of all the disability was and still is foreign to me. I can’t relate to it. I don’t see myself that way in the mirror of my mind.

In the mirror of my mind I am strong and tall and tan and kind of cute. Sometimes in the mirror of my mind I am even sexy but never in the mirror of my mind am I weak and broken and limping along. I never have been. I don’t know why and I can only speak to my experience but I have always believed myself to better, stronger and more capable than the reflection in the mirror. Maybe this is the way I survive. Perhaps it is the way I thrive. Some may say I am merely fooling myself, that I am delusional or that I have body dysmorphia to the positive extreme. That all may be true, but does it matter? Yes, it matters very much because each day I get up and get dressed (in cute outfits) and I go to work and I shop and I am a wife and a mom and in the mirror of my mind I am no different than you are.

What if the reverse was true? What if everyday I saw my self as socety sees me? What if I believed that because my body doesn’t look a certain way I have no right to a job or an education? What if I believed that my disability made me so ugly I should never leave the house or travel the world? What if I believed that because I was disabled I should never have children? What if I believed as so many do, that because my body is broken or twisted I must have no brain?

This is the reality of society’s mirror. I apply for 20 jobs to get offered one. I have 2 degrees because I felt I needed to be over qualified for any job to compensate for my disability. I have been shunned and suffered terrible abuse in foreign countries because “we don’t want people like you here”. I have even had parents request that their child not be placed in my class because I am disabled. Societies mirror of disability is cracked and splintered. I can’t do anything about that. I can however continue each day to manage my own reflection in the mirror. I must continue to nurture the woman I see without bitterness, anger or upset. I know now that as I reflect my image of my mind in the mirror others begin to see that reflection too.

The children I teach each day soon forget that their teacher is disabled because most days I forget. We are too busy learning and growing and laughing and exploring. Too busy most days to notice the teacher with the skinny legs or even to notice the sometimes-needed wheelchair. To my students the wheelchair for me is a tool I need to do my job in the same way their pencil is a tool they need to do their job. My reflection each day to 5 and 6 year olds has the power to alter societies reflection in the mirror. My refusal to be bitter or angry when people are stupid and cruel has the ability to alter societies reflection in the mirror. My willingness to live fully as a mother and do crazy fun things with my grown sons and someday my grandchildren will I am certain alter societies reflection in the mirror. Each day my responsibility is to manage my own reflection regardless of the cracks, splinters and distortions others may see. If my view and vision in the mirror is consistent enough perhaps those around me will start to buy new mirrors!

The Daytrippers Team: Thank you so much Rene Roberts for your contribution.